(1 of )The lot at Moorland and West Robles avenues where 13-year-old Andy Lopez was shot by a Sonoma County sheriff's deputy in 2013. (JOHN BURGESS/ PD FILE)

Diminished meaning

| December 6, 2013

EDITOR: Enough is enough is enough. We get the point. Andy Lopez, an "innocent" 13-year-old kid, was shot and killed by an overzealous deputy sheriff. But, really, does he deserve to have a memorial park named after him? No. That honor is traditionally left to the memory of decorated war heroes, or public servants who have given their lives to save others, or Pulitzer Prize winners, or people who have made some other form of magnificent contribution to society.

While it is a nice idea, no doubt, a great many of the taxpayers of Santa Rosa who will eventually have to help pay for the maintenance of this memorial park think otherwise.

When making its decision on this issue, I hope the county supervisors consider the fact that by allowing this so-called memorial park to be created, they are in essence diminishing the true meaning and purpose of the words "memorial park."